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Alliance wants farm grant equity requirements lowered

The Muntadgin Farming Alliance says it is vital the Western Australian Government review funding conditions if it increases farm grants.

Premier Colin Barnett says the Government is considering providing more money to struggling farmers in the Wheatbelt.

Earlier this year, the Government introduced a scheme in which growers who had secured bank finance to plant a crop were eligible for a one-off payment of $25,000.

The alliance's Jeff Hooper says the equity conditions for those grants, which was about 55 to 65 per cent, is much too high.

"Fifty-five, 65 per cent equity, they would have already had their finance secured and if you've been able to source finance from the bank at a lower equity - well they've deemed you to be viable for the season, so what's the issue?" he said.

"There's people out there, probably 20 per cent equity, that are viable - they've got a very good ability to repay their debt.

"They've got good, strong businesses in normal years, with the hope of generating income to repay their debt and we feel equity is a figure that actually doesn't really come into your ability to repay debt."